The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-03-16

track about 400 feet from the nearest bridge
abutment. 1t was the rear truck of this
car that went wrong first, but the occupants
were not hurt, being only shaken up. Just
back of this car is No. Is, the second car of
the train. This car was swept from Its
trucks and its rear was crushed in by the
car following. Car Noa2S, the third one
of the train, is on the embankment
badly demoralized, but retains its general
shape. The passengers in this car were badly
shaken up, but there were no serious
casualties among them. This car lies
partly on its side about 100 feet from the
chasm. Next came car No. 81. 1t is
doubtful If any one escaped from this car
alive. The bridge entirely gave way before
it reached the inward side, but the mo-
mentum of the train and the strength of
the couplings carried it nearly over the
cbasm. 1t dropped just before it reached
the abutment, and the body of the car
DASHED AGAINST THE SOLID STONE WALL.
The force of the shock shot the roof for
ward so that it cleared the chasn and slid
along the rails its full length. The body
of the car was literally ground to pieces,
and the bits of wood, iron and human
bodies were strewn on the road beneath,
forming the foundation of the wreck.
Those who examined the wreck could find
no distinct trace in the ruins Of this car
which could be identified. The only proof
that it bad existed was the fact that there
were plainly nine Car roofs at different
points, and il followed, of course, that nine
cars had been wrecked, though it was pos
sible to trace but eight. The cars which
lie in the chasm form a pile of wreckage
400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The road
angle that all the cars were d.
verted, on striking the opposite abut-
ment, into general position parallel with
the street and the abutments. Most of
the casualties were In cars 81, 50 and 54,
respectively, the fourth, fifth and sixth on
the train, and the first, second and third
of those which went into the chasm. Car
No. "a lies in a heap of splinters, with the
sides and roof broken in. The stove did
not break its fastenings, but was broken
above the crate. The lre. however, was
extinguished. Car No. so lies partly on
car No. 54, unroofed and with every seat
gone. Several OF the killed and wounded
persons were taken from this car. This
stove remained firmly fixed and no fire
escaped. Car No. 81 is practically demol-
ished, while No. 50 lies almost intact upon
the ruins Many were injured in these
cars, and but few were killed. Back of
them is the upturned wreck of the smoking
car, only q corner of which remains.
The car whirled up side down as it had fell
from the embankment. Scarcely any of
its occupants escaped injury, and Police
man Lailor ana one or two others were
killed.
The bridge where the accident occurred
was built in July, 1876. 1t was 104 feet In
length and twenty feet IN height and
spanned the road, resting on heavy stone
walls. The grade of the road is very heavy
and there is a sharp curve where the bridge
crosses the highway. The latter runs dag
onally under the bridge, and the abut-
ments upon which the structure rests are
set at sharp angles. The bridge was de-
signed for double track, but only single
track crosses it now, and the experts can
not understand how both trusses were car
ried down when the bearing comes upon
only one.
Mr.. Manley, of the City Engineers of
fee, made a careful inspection of the bridge
soon after it had fallen. He said there was
no apparent reason for its giving way, or
for the breaking of the iron work. 1t
seemed as if some force had drawn it for
ward and thrown it from its bearings.
d. l.. Davis, of the Boston and Provi-
dence Railway, considered one of the best
raj road men in the country, expressed
similar opinion.
A Mr.. Blaisdel, who was crossing from
the first to the second car Just as the train
struck the bridge, says he observed a
broken journal hanging down. This would
account for carrying the whole bridge OIL
the abutment.
A bad flaw has been found near the end
of a twelve-inch truss, which rests few
feet above the debris. 1t shows diagonal
fracture Of the iron twelve inches long, of
which eight inches is black with rust while
the rest of the fracture is fresh.
The first sign of violence to the cars is
upon the woodwork of the second truck of
the first ca. A violent blow from under
meath fractured a 4x10 inch timber, the
framework of the truck midway between
the rails and between the two axles. The
blow lifted the truck from the track and
dsIailed the car.
Engineer White says that in going across
the bridge he felt shock, which he
thought might have been caused by q
broken axle. This, however, could not
possibly have been the first cause of the
accident, for the trucks of the first two
cars are in good condition, except as re-
CARDS the point above mentioned. The
only remaining possible cause is a broken
rail. 1t is doubtful If any examination on
this point would result satisfactory, for
there many of them twisted and broken.
The scene at the bridge shortly after the
disaster was heartrending. In one place
seven bodies taken out were placed in
row, all were badly mangled. Large num-
bers OF women were on the train, and many
were to be seen in the ruins.
ONE WOMAN WAS CUT COMPLETELY IN TWO
the upper half only being found. Two
men who were saved had their faces hacked,
and the lips of one were cut off.
1t has been impossible to obtain a cor
rect and complete list of the killed and
wounded, owing to the fact that immedi-
ately after the catastrophe occurred its
victims were hastily removed from the
scene and In such widely diverse directions
that il is extremely difficult to trace them
correctly. Some of the injured were at
once conveyed 10 their homes, others were
taken te hospitals, while others still found
| temporary shelter in residences in the inn
mediate neighborhood. A majority of
the dead were brought to the city hospital
morgue, but there were others taken to the
depot of Roslyndale, Forest Hills and
Canterbury. Agents of the railroad com.
pany are now diligently at work endeavor-
oring to compile complete statistics of the
calamity, and q full list of the casualties
will doubtless be furnished at the earliest
practicable moment.
All day large corps OF surgeons has
been at work attending to the injured, who
are more numerous than was at first re-
ported, it now being estimated that nearly
SEVENTY PERSONS RECEIVED SEVERE WOUNDS.
OF these, it Is said, number will probably
die. A curious feature of the disaster is
found in the fact that the entire bridge
went down with the wreck. Not q scrap